Coupling for ships&#39; propeller-shafts.



No. 699,356; Patented May 6,- I902.

J. VERITY, Decd.

W. W. WHITE, Ancillary Executor. COUPLING FOB SHIPS PROPELLEB SHAFTS.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 190B.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 699,356. Patented May 6, I902.

J. VERITY, Decd.

W. W. WHITE, Ancillary Executor. COUPLING FOR SHIPS PROPELLER SHAFTS.

(Application filed Feb. '24, 1902. Model-1 5 Sheets-Sheet z,

I s. 5 III W/7'NESS'ES;

M M WMM M No. 699,356. Patented May 6, I902.

J. VERl-TY, Decd.

W. W. WHITE, Ancillary Executor. COUPLING FOR SHIPS PROPELLEB SHAFTS.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 1902. (No Model.) L 5 Sheats-Shaet 4.

WITNESSES." MM

No.699,356. Patented May 6, I902.

J. VERITY, Decd.

w. w. WHITE, Ancil lary Executor.

COUPLING FDR SHIPS PBOPELLEB SHAFTS.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 190 2.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

lVILLIAM VALLACE lVHI'IE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ANOILLARY EXECUTOR OF JOHN VERITY, DECEASED.

COUPLING FOR SHIPS PROPELLER-SHAFTS.

SIPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 699,356, dated May 6, 1902. Application filed February 24, 1902. Serial No. 95,261. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that JOHN VERITY, who was a subject of theKing of England, and a resi dent of 35 Rufford road, Fairfield, Liverpool,

in the county of Lancaster, England, but is now deceased, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in the Coupling of Ships Propeller Shafts or Shafting, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

IO This invention has reference to propellershafting of ships having twin or multiple propeller-shafts and propellers, and wherein flexible or non-rigid devices of the kind which are specially adapted to turn in one direction :5 normally-namely, either to the right or to the left-are employed; and the invention has for its objectand effect to provide improvements in the shafting of twin or multiple propeller-ships, whereby the cost and expense of spare portions of shafts adapted for use in case of the breakdown of any length of shafting containing a flexible device would be small or not abnormal, and to improve said coupling generally.

Drawings illustrating the inventionare annexed hereto, in wl1ich- Figure 1 shows a plan of shafting of a twim screw ship with the improvements applied to it, while Figs. 2 and 3 are details showing special pieces or lengths of shafting employed at the stem portion and near the crank-shaft or forward p0rtion,respectively. Figs. 4 and 5 show the spare shafts or pieces to be used in lieu of the shafts shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

respectively, in case of their failure. Fig. 6

is a side elevation of the special form of coupling used herein, and Fig. 7 is a section of.

Figs. 8 and flare face views of the ,re-

same. spective parts of the flexible device.

The propeller-shafting of ships between the engines and screws comprise a plurality of shaft lengths each of which has a coupling-flange at the ends, except, of course, the taiLshatt, which has only one flange, and

these are secured together by bolts'passed through them in the usual manner. It has been proposed to employ flexible devices in shafts of this kind for the purpose of preventing the breakage of such shafting, which gen- 5o erally occurs in the length having the thrustrings next the engine-shaft or the fore length l of the shafting which passes through the tun the right or to the left, as in the case of twinscrew propellers grcat expense is incurred with regard to the spare portions of shafts 6 which are required to be carried by a ship for use in the event of breakdown. By the present invention these defects are obviated, while at the same time the construction of coupling is improved-namely, according to is generally designated y in the drawings. In

the drawings this flexible device y is provided on the tail-shaft length and on the thrust-shaft length and at a point intermediate the ends of these lengths. These special lengths are designated a and b, respectively, While the other lengths are designated 6. The devices y are placed within the neighborhood of the greatest bending moments, tending to fracture the shafts. The lengths of .the spare shafting which would be carried by the ship to be used in case of failure in 0 the lengths a and 1) would be equal to the distance nviz., the length between the face of the flange 0c and the end of the piece in the case of the tail length a and between the faces of the flanges a: in the case of the thrust length 1). Thus in the case of either one or other of the lengths a or b in either shaft becoming damaged and it being necessary to substitute a new length-say on the voyage or away from home-a spare length (marked a and b, respectively, in Figs. 4 and 5) equal in length to the distance a could be vided with projections orjawsj atintervals,

aroundtheir faces, as shown, so that when the two ends of the shaft to be coupled are brought together, the projectionsj on the disk of one part of the shaft enter the recesses formed by two adjacent projections on the disk of the other, in the usual manner of this type of coupling. On the disk or boss 1" an annular ring 73 is provided, as shown. It has been found by experience with this type of.

coupling that sufficient bearing-surface between the two ends of shaft coupled/must be provided; but at the same time provision is necessary for movement of these ends. Now in order to provide ample bearing-surface for the ends of the two parts of the shaft when coupled, while, at the same time permitting movement of same, the ends of the hollow shaft are provided with the heads or' tapering bearing-pieces .2, having shoulders .2, which bear against the interior of the disks 1' and-t", and these heads are reduced from the point Z to the point Z, asshown, the actual bearing -surface of the heads 2 being Z Z. This construction admits of the shaft ends adjusting themselves should their axes become out of alinement through any cause. These heads or tapered bearing-pieces ,2 when worn may be removed and others inserted in the shaft.

In order to keep the two parts of the shaft in contact with each other, eight bolts n are passed through the disks or bosses i t" at about the center of each of the projections or jaws These bolts fit loosely into their boltholes in order to permit of movement of the bolt therein.

0 represents spring -washers provided on each bolt, which normally hold the parts i and ii in close contact, but permit of their separating when in action, if necessary.

In order to firmly secure the two parts of the device transversely, parallel keys and wedges q are provided. The keysp are lipped on the under side, as shown, so as to prevent them from flying outward, and a ring 9" is also passed over It for the purpose of holding up the keys from the inside. An adjusting-ring s, with internal cams t, is provided, which latter act or bear on the outer ends of the wedges and adjust and retain them in position. This ring sis secured to the head or boss i by screws 8 and a covering ring-plate t is secured to the adjusting-ring 8.

The device as illustrated in Figs. 6to 9 is adapted to turn only in the direction of the arrows. In a coupling for turning in a contrary direction the converse arrangement of wedge-pieces q and keys p is adopted.

What is claimed in respect of the hereindescribed invention is 1. In a multiple-propeller ships ,shafting, the combination of the engine crank-shaft h; the thrust-ring length 1) next same, having at each end an ordinary coupling-flange w, and a flexible device y in said length between said flanges; a tail-shaft a at the stern end of which the propeller is fastened, having an ordinary coupling-flange 00 at its forward end, and a flexible device y between this flange and the stern end; and a plurality of lengths e between the shafts a and 1), each length having ordinary coupling-flanges m at their ends; substantially as set forth.

2. In a ships propeller-shaft comprising a plurality of lengths, alength of shaftinghaving a coupling-flange m at each end, and between these ends a flexible device consisting of a flange t' on one part of the shaftwith projectionsj on its inner face, a flange t" on the other part having projectionsj on its inner face adapted to fit in the spaces between the projectionsj of the other flange; oppositelydisposed bearing-heads z, with shoulders z fitting in and supported in the ends of said shaft, and inwardly-tapering bearing-faces; substantially as set forth.

In a ships propeller-shaft comprising a plurality of lengths, a length of shafting having a coupling-flange m at each end, and between these ends a flexible device consisting of a flange t' on one part of the shaft with projectionsj on its inner face, a flange t" on the other part having projectionsj on its inner face, adapted to fit in the spaces between the projectionsj of the other flange, oppositelydisposed bearing-heads z, with shoulders z fitting in and supported in the ends of said shaft, and inwardly-tapering bearing-faces; keys p fitting between two of the adjacent faces or edges of the projecting parts 7',wedges q disposed between the other adjacent edges of said parts j, a wedge-holding cam-ring 8 fitting over the flanges t' 1', having cam-recessesif in which the ends of the wedges (1 work, a projecting annular flange or ring 7t on the flange t", and a ring r fitting outside and on the ring 7c, and supporting the inner ends of the keys 1), and a plurality of bolts 02 and springs 0, said bolts passing through said flanges t and parts j; substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM WVALLACE WHITE, Ancillary executor ofthe estate ofJolm Verity,

deceased. WVitnesses:

Or'ro MUNK, OHAs. W. ALDOUR. 

